No Other Woman
by BeeBeeRox
Summary: "I promise you, there is no other woman in my life." He lied. "But there is no other woman better than I am." His mistress believed. "And I will let no other woman ruin my marriage." His wife swore.
1. Of Promises and Alcohol

"I promise you, there is no other woman in my life." He lied. "But there is no other woman better than I am." His mistress believed. "And I will not let no other woman ruin my marriage." His wife swore.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor the movie "No Other Woman" by Ruel S. Bayani.  
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**AN: For those of you who don't know, this fic is based off a Filipino movie called "No Other Woman". I initially started this over a year ago but stopped for reasons you should have read (or not, no pressure)in the announcement chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

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Uchiha Sasuke needed to get hammered. Fast. Only, there was a slight interference to his heart's desire.

There was no more alcohol.

None. Zilch. Diddly _fucking _squat. Which amazes Sasuke for he had a designated room for his precious booze. One of which is 14ft by 13ft. All four damn walls now have empty wine shelves. Even the impressively large safe in the middle of the room was bereft.

So he called the one person that practically pissed silly juice.

_Riiing...Riiing...Rii-_

"What can I do for ya, boss?" As expected, the speaker's voice was laced in slurs and Sasuke could almost smell Jack Daniels.*

Not one for pleasant conversation starters, he cut straight to the point, "Drink. Now. Be at the Chandelier in 15 minutes." An amused snicker came from the other end, "Aw man, you have no idea how much I've missed our little adventures. So ya finally dumped Lil' Miss Cherry," there was a scoff, "took longer than I expected."

Sasuke growled. He didn't appreciate assumptions regarding his love life. Good or bad. "I didn't dump my wife, Suigetsu. Watch your _fucking _mouth before I make sure the only hole you can drink from is your ass." And with that being said, he cut the line dead. The only reason he was bringing along the sharp-toothed alcoholic was because not only is Sasuke an angry drunk, but he tends to down more shots exceeding his limit of nine. That's where Suigetsu comes in. Because even the Uchiha's stubborn ass can admit he has a very high tolerance for booze and always managed to bring them both home in one piece.

Also, Sasuke hasn't gone out for a drink since his late teens. Being already wedded at the ripe age of 20, he really couldn't find the time or reason to lose himself in poisonous beverages. Not when things were going so well.

The Uchiha Corps. was handed down to him when he graduated from college. Although it should be in the possession of his older brother, Itachi just didn't want to slave away in a big, dull office. Now, the 31 year old prodigy spends his days traveling the world, meeting all sorts of people, *cough* women *cough*. Despite the company given to him by default, the youngest Uchiha took his new responsibility whole heartedly and doing his father proud.

Uzumaki Minato is a very powerful political leader and Uchiha Fugaku often seeks wisdom from his old friend, making the Uzumaki family very close with the Uchihas. When Minato and his wife, Kushina, had their first born son, Naruto, the doctors confirmed 4 years later that Kushina could no longer have any more children. Devastated, Minato presented the concept of adoption. His wife was more than happy to. Word came out all over the local news about the Uzumaki family's current situation. One night, Minato received a phone call about whether or not he was interested in taking in a new born baby girl. They accepted right away and little Sakura Uzumaki was now a part of their family. Everything was perfect.

He remembered he first day he met the little (But hot. So very, very hot) brat.

_"TEEEEMMEEEE- OW!"_

_"What did I tell you about screaming?!"_

_"Nani? You're screaming too, mom!"_

_"Respect your elders, Naruto."_

_"Hehe...I think Dad just called you old."_

_"ITAI! Kushina!"_

_"Hmph! I'm younger than you, old man!"_

_*sigh* "I never called you old, dear."_

_The Uzumaki household was located in a secluded area where it took at least 10 minutes to reach town. Kushina blushed a deep red while her husband nursed the bulge sprouting from his scalp and her son continued his stampede towards his best friend, Sasuke._

_"Ne ne ne! Teme, guess what?" Sasuke scowled at his given nick name._

_"Hn. I don't like to guess, dobe."_

_Naruto slapped on his best pout. "Fine," then he grinned, remembering his good news. "I'll tell ya' anyway! I got me a little sister!"_

_Sasuke cocked an eyebrow and slightly tilted his head in confusion. He overheard his mom and dad talking about how Uncle Minato and Aunty Kushina couldn't have another baby. When he asked his older brother whom he idolized so much, Itachi simply answered "Because the bird that was supposed to deliver the baby went on vacation for a while."_

_Speaking of his brother, here he comes now, with both of his parents following closely behind. "Hello, Kushina." His mother, Mikoto, greeted her long time friend with a wide but elegant smile. "Mikoto-chan!" And with that being said, Kushina spread her arms wide and wrapped them around her._

_"Good evening, Minato." Fugaku stated evenly._

_"Right back at ya'." Sasuke and Naruto shared a glance, knowing how informal the governor actually was around his friends._

_Mikoto pulled away from the red headed woman and scanned her eyes behind the Uzumaki family. "So, where is she?" Yes, indeed, where is the newest member of this __exuberant family? Kushina smiled, held up her forefinger in a single to wait, and strolled into the hallway, into a room to the left. The boy to Sasuke's left bounced slightly on the soles of his feet excitedly. Itachi noticed this as well, smiled, and ruffled Naruto's blond locks in a friendly manner. Sasuke felt a pang of jealousy. In his eyes, he was the only one allowed to receive such gestures from the reserved ninja._

_His attention was quickly __transferred to his Aunty Kushina who was silently walking towards them in gentle and cautious strides, her deep violet eyes to the small, white blanket currently nesting in her arms. Naruto bolted from his side and was the first to reach his mom and gave her his famous face-splitting grin. Minato swiftly followed and placed his hands on his wife's shoulders while smiling in the same soft manner as the red head. "Come and say hi," said the tall blond man. "But be gentle. She's still very sensitive to loud noises."_

_Kushina finally looked up at the Uchihas, her smile welcoming them to approach. Sasuke's mother walked over without hesitation and politely ask to hold the new born, to which her firned answered with a nod. Fugaku patted Minato's left shoulder firmly in congratulations. Itachi nudged his 4 year old brother forward, and both siblings stood in front of their raven haired mother who was currently cooing at the tiny being in her iron grip._

_The youngest Uchiha gaped in fascination. He'd never seen a baby this young this close before. One Uchiha clan member, Sazuki-san, gave birth to a boy only 6 days ago. But Sasuke was never allowed to come even 12 feet of the baby for his father told him to not disturb the new mother and her child. This withered Sasuke's spirits for he was very friendly with Sazuki-san. She was his baby-sitter in many occasions and bought him toys every time she visited the main house._

_"What's her name?" Itachi asked with equal interest as Sasuke._

_"Sakura. Uzumaki Sakura. I came up with it myself!" The short, boisterous blond proclaimed with glowing pride._

_Sasuke contined to stare. She was so small. And so...pink. Everything about her was pink. Her dainty hands. Her chubby baby cheeks. Then came that little sprout of pastel pink hair. He'd never witnessed anything even remotely like this, Sasuke almost audibly questioned her condition. That was, until the baby yawned, quite adorably too. The two mothers cooed once more, Naruto let out a loud "Aww!", and Minato grinned. Itachi and his father merely blinked in recognition. __Then, she fluttered her eyes open, revealing the most vibrant green orbs. Her eyes switched to all of the new faces around her. Then they landed on the raven haired boy in front of her._

_It was at that moment that Uchiha Sasuke made the promise of a lifetime._

_"I'll protect you. For as long as I live. I give you my word...Sakura."_

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If he were to sum up Uzumaki, now Uchiha, Sakura in one word in all of the years they've known each other, it would most definitely be insufferable. Insufferable for many, many reasons. The list is practically infinite.

Insufferable because she is a workaholic, and coming from an Uchiha, that means a hell of a lot. She hammers through regular 14 hour shifts at the hospital, and if she had a cup of her favorite double shot expresso, would go over time to 17 hours.

Because she is one of the messiest, uncoordinated, unorganized, and discombobulated person in the planet. Below Naruto, of course.

Because she has the raging temper of a woman on her period and over 6 months pregnant. Then multiply that by 12.

Because her weaknesses are splayed out in the open constantly through her doe-like eyes.

Because she is the complete an utter opposite of him in every aspect except for one: They are the fiercest, most territorial, and most passionate lovers in the Milky Way galaxy and then some. Yes, she was annoying in too many ways, but never enough to make him stop loving her. The road to their getting together and marriage was an achingly long and hard battle. The past 7 years of knowing of each other's existence brought drama, jealousy, tears, and all sorts of madness.

As Sasuke settled comfortably down onto his leather couch, reminiscing about his history with Sakura, when a boisterous voice echoed from the other side of his door. "TEME, LEMME IN! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" The said bastard squeezed his brows together into an annoyed "v" and let out a defeated sigh while standing upright, already knowing the intruder. There was only one person he knew that wouldn't bother to ring the doorbell or knock. A blur of sun-kissed blond hair invaded the Uchiha's vision the moment the door was unlocked. Slamming the door behind him, the blond looked him square in the eye, anger radiating from his well built form.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, Naruto." This only aggravated him. Naruto's eyes narrowed, his fists balled tightly. "I entrusted her to you. I gave you my blessing as her brother to marry her. You gave your fucking _word_ to _never_hurt her in _any_ way," Sasuke continued to stare blankly at his brother-in-law as he scolded him through gritted teeth, waiting for fists to start flying.

"Look, I don't know Sakura told you, but stay out of our business. I'm handling it."

It was then that Naruto erupted, "Like hell you're handling it! My baby sister has locked herself in the basement for _weeks_ and you don't even have the balls to contact her! Damnit man, why do you keep doing this, huh? Are you some kind of sadist now?! DO YOU EVEN LOVE HER?!"

This caught Sasuke's full attention. With impressive speed, he grabbed Naruto by the collar of his shirt and shoved him roughly against the nearest wall. His once onyx orbs now glowed a fierce red. "Don't you _dare_question my feelings for my wife. You of all people should know how much I went through just to have the privilege to go down on one knee in front of her." Naruto successfully pushed him off and resumed to stand firmly in front of his best friend, but then sighed heavily and looked expectedly at him. "So what's your game plan? Hell, I don't even know the whole story. But from what I got out of her, she's not gonna you forgive that easy, ya know. She's not like your previous girls who drool at your feet constantly."

Sasuke smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets, "Don't I know it." The blonde opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the doorbell. Naruto heard Sasuke mumble something that sounded something like "I was wondering whether that doorbell actually had any use."

The now opened door revealed a man around his mid-twenties, with almost-white purple hair and donned a smirk showing a flash of shark like teeth. "Hiya boss. Ready?"

Naruto gaped, his eyes bouncing off both figures in front of him. "What-..How-..WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE FISH FREAK?!" Said "freak" narrowed his eyes at the nickname. "Oi-"

"I called him here." Sasuke cut him off.

Naruto's eyes widened in realization, "Don't tell me you're drinking again..." When the Uchiha remained quiet, the blond gritted his teetch and shoock his head. "You can't be fucking serious. Haven't you learned anything, Teme?!"

"Stay out of this, dobe," Sasuke grabbed his black leather jacket that laid soundly on his couch. "And get out of my house." Naruto scoffed and grabbed Sasuke's bicep before he could walk away. "Like hell I am. I'm coming with you. You need to tell me the rest of the story." Sasuke snatched away from his grip and rolled his eyes, showing his growing irritation. "Tch. Whatever, dobe." Naruto grinned in triumph, "I call shot gun!" then bounded to Sasuke's sleek, black Acura NSX, with the owner of the car and Suigestu following closely behind.

"You do realize he'll probably get our asses kicked out again, right?" Suigetsu whispered warily to his long time partner. "Hn. Then drinks are on him."

Naruto's head popped out from the front seat, panic evident on his face. "Wait, what?"

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Blinding arrays of rainbow lights. The almost deafening sound of wild music. A sea of people moving in waves of chaos. The air hot and humid, drenched in the scent of sweat and alcohol. Sasuke would rather stuff both of Naruto's feet into his mouth than voice out how much he missed this atmosphere.

The Chandelier was a bipolar place. Meaning that you either have the choice of joining what you would call Ground Zero where the magic of losing yourself in the fist pumping music and grind with one person to the next, or go upstairs to the Sky Trail, where everybody who is a somebody gets to indulge in the classic goodness of first class alcohol, Playboy Bunnies, and a glass roof that show cased the entire universe. Sasuke's personal favorite. Although his original plan was to give into the ecstasy of shots and strong beverages, his brother-in-law forbid him to reach his full buzz.

Both men were sitting in a private room Sasuke specifically bought for he was not one to enjoy others snooping in his business, especially if it concerned his love life. Suigetsu stayed down in Ground Zero where he claimed was way more exciting than "a room filled with rich assholes in suites while playing Beethoven's ninth symphony."  
>The Uchiha took in a swig of his favorite vodka before setting his eyes across the room to Naruto's fidgeting form, obviously wanting answers. He spoke in the most demanding tone Sasuke has ever heard him say in the last 18 years of knowing him, "Tell me everything."<br>And so he did...

"I was on a business trip to Jeju Island in South Korea," Sasuke started in his usual monotone. "As you already know, Uchiha Corps. was facing the threat of bankruptcy 6 months ago. In order to save my company, I requested a 3 year merger with an enterprise. But I was failing at convincing the CEO to accept." He stayed silent for almost a minute until Naruto threw his empty plastic cup at his head which earned the blond a glare. "Three weeks later, I met the CEO's daughter...Ino Yamanaka."

Then silence consumed them once again.

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**AN: YAY! Finally done with the first chapter! I'm orry it took a little long. I made major changes to the whole story but the plot in general is still the same. So...yeah, I changed Rei to Ino because Rei is new and I'm too lazy to develop her character. Where as most of you are already familiar with Ino. I, myself, find no interest in original characters most of the time.**

**And I know this chapter is short. I'm just testing the waters with this one.**

**And yes, I have deleted all the old chapters. Starting fresh, man!**

**See you guys next chapter!**

**And if you're an old reader, please review and tell me if you like this one better than the original. Thanks!**


	2. Of Deals and Traitors

**AN: Hi. Sorry.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

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_Ino's eyes remained staring at the vast ocean before them. Sasuke willed his legs to move to get at least 8 feet away from the woman by his side, but he stayed rooted. Out of longing, the man grasped a thin piece of material out of his left front pocket and stared down at it's glory._

_"She's beautiful." Ino whispered before he could once again put it away. She then chuckled airily, "But then why go to such an extent as to jeopardize your marriage?" Sasuke gazed at her solidly, not giving away even a hint of his emotions. The blond stared back with a look bluntly stating; I told you. Now you tell me._

_Shifting his focus back to the picture, he scattered his brain for his reasoning. He remembered his father's harsh words, "I don't care what you do. I don't care how you do it. But don't you dare disgrace this family by failing to uphold the company!" Fugaku hated to raise his voice, especially towards his own family. His father's focus always revolved around Itachi. At times, Sasuke would pity his older brother for he was under constant surveillance. Fugaku would demand him to attend never ending meetings and lessons, track his whereabouts, hell, even plan out his whole diet. So yes, Sasuke would pity his older brother. But only when he isn't busy trying to gain his father's attention, even if it's for once in a while. But that was rare. The only memories he regained of his father even looking at him was when Itachi would mention the youngest Uchiha._

_"I hope you're proud." Sasuke scorned inwardly. His mind then comes throttling back to the pink haired woman waiting for him over hundreds of miles away. "She'll understand. She always does."_

_"I wouldn't," the woman beside him said in a sing-song voice. He didn't realize he said that out loud. "You're not her." The tone came out harsh, bitter. Just as he wanted. Sasuke pondered her motive, but was vaguely aware in the back of his mind of exactly what. And despite his open anger, Ino did not waver and responded. "No. I'm not. But you know what I am?" Sasuke didn't bother to give any sign of acknowledgement, to which Ino only smirked at._

_"A woman."_

_The warmth and softness of her palms suddenly grasped his bicep, her well manicured fingers splayed wistfully across his now tense muscles. The Uchiha visibly flinched. Not because her touch was unpleasant. But because...it was. And it seems as if he's not the only one who's noticed as well._

_"Gotcha," the little minx giggled. Clear blue eyes fluttered across his features, trying to decipher the mysteries the raven haired man held. To be frank, Ino was enjoying herself._

_Sasuke, on the other hand, couldn't grasp the fact that she was actually advancing towards him. After a month of being her "lover", she's never showed any behavior close to this. From what he gathered, Ino was always supposed to be all about surface and no depth. Outside of hungry ears, her actions only portrayed those of a distant acquaintance. Borderline stranger, even. So why now? Why be so open with her feelings at the end?_

_Ino was seducing him._

_And it was working._

_The graceful movements of her fingers continued, his arm still painfully locked like steel, not daring to move. Ino, ever the curious woman, brought her free hand to his chiseled chest, right above where his heart remained at it's wild pace. But before she could claim victory at this, Sasuke roughly grabbed her wrist in a tight hold. Ino stared up at him. Those usual cool, dark orbs now a vicious red. "You are a terrible woman, Miss Yamanka. You do not seem know your boundaries." His tone was cold and unfeeling. But Ino was smart and heard his faint distress. As if guilty._

_She shook her head slightly and Sasuke tried not to pay attention to how her velvet-soft hair flowed beautifully when she did so. "You just don't realize how far those boundaries go, Uchiha-san." Said man narrowed his eyes. "Don't expect me to believe you've never thought about it. About us."_

_"I have not." He countered automatically. She giggled once again. The Uchiha suppressed the thought of how he could soon come to love that sound. She came closer, until her rose colored lips brushed against his left ear._

_"Liar," the whisper came in a hot breath._

_And underneath all his denial, all of the reminders his brain throws at him about who he's bound to, he can't help but think how deliciously wonderful it would be._

_Before he could entertain the thought further, Sasuke willed himself to detach his body from her's once again. "I have an early flight back tomorrow. Goodnight, Miss Yamanaka. I will see you again in three weeks." And with a slight bow of his head, he left. His hidden message of goodbye loud and ringing in Ino's ears._

_Hours later, as he flew across a body of deep blue waters, two women plagued his mind non-stop. As his body slightly shifted to the window, he felt something poke at his thigh. He reached into his left front pocket and pulled out Sakura's picture. The sigh of relief cut short as he noticed a small piece of paper taped to the back. Slowly, he detached it, reading the elegantly woven cursive letters in black ink._

_I am not satisfied, Uchiha-san. Care to entertain me more?_

_Said man promptly crumpled the note in his hand, inwardly shivering (with delight?) at the possibilities of what she truly meant._

_Two months. He had two more months until he could officially end the deal. He can handle two months. Right?_

_Sasuke sunk into his seat, frustration evident on his face. How was he supposed to hold on much longer? He was already extremely enticed by the blond without her even trying, but now with Ino actually putting effort in making him notice her?_

_What a terrible woman indeed._

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"Yamanaka? As in Yamanaka Deidara?"

"Ah." Sasuke himself hadn't really payed attention to that little detail. His brother's companions were annoying and the farthest thing on his priority list. "He's rich? All this time?" Naruto exclaimed, unsurprisingly dumbfounded. Sasuke nodded his head.

The older blond man, to his knowledge, was the heir to his family's company yet dropped out of his over seas university where he met Itachi to pursue his art career. He used to spend almost everyday at the Uchiha Manor, although Sasuke himself barely noticed him for all Deidara did was make miniature sculptures in the basement.

"Aw fuck! That bastard's been moochin' off me for _months_!"

The raven haired man raised a questioning eyebrow. "When did you two get so close?" Naruto only rubbed his forehead in aggravation. "We didn't. I just felt sorry for the guy, ya know? I thought your family was running some charity with him so I wanted to help."

In response, the Uchiha only sighed, mentally placing the blue eyes man in front of him in a choke hold for his irrelevant upbringings. "As I recall dobe, we're here to discuss my wife." he reminded. At the mention if his sister, Naruto knitted his eyebrows slightly together, his concern evident on his face.

"Then start."

"Uchiha Co. was headed for bankruptcy. Fast. So I went to Jeju Island to try to persuade Mr. Yamanaka of Zeus Corps. to agree to have a merger with us. I spent months on my plan flying back and forth from here to the island, which Sakura was less than happy about."

Naruto nodded. "That's why you weren't here for Christmas." Sasuke's eyes glazed over in recollection. "Sakura never told anyone the specifics. Just that you were busy."

"Right. Anyway, all the meetings I've attended with him and his advisors were negative, to say the least. Until one day, his daughter came to one of our lunch meetings."

"Ino."

Sasuke nodded.

"Well your company is obviously stable right now, so how'd you do it?"

Flashback:

_"Be with me."_

_The Uchiha almost audibly chocked at this. He pulled at the collar of his suit. It wasn't that Yamanaka Ino was an unattractive woman. She wasn't. God, no she wasn't. She had long, platinum blond hair that was in a sleek pony tail and straightened to perfection. Her amethyst colored dress was tight and showed her curvy and slender figure. The black stilettos she was wearing made her legs seem to run for miles and she had the lightest shade of blue eyes he's ever witnessed. Over all, this woman was strikingly gorgeous._

_Sasuke regained his stature and shoved his hands in his pocket. "I'm married," he stated, and to his surprise, she merely shrugged her dainty shoulders. Sasuke scoffed, clearly disgusted at her lack of morals._

_Ino put a hand on her hip. "No one knows that. Not with how recent it is." Sasuke frowned. If only that were the real reason why.*_  
><em>"And it's not as if I'm asking you to divorce her. My father won't be on board unless you have some sort of relation to us personally. It makes him trust you more. So, if you and I announce our relationship together-"<em>

_"He'll agree," Sasuke cut her off. It was a bad habit of his. He then cocked an eyebrow. "But why go that far? What do you get out of this?"_

_Ino smiled sweetly. "I get to entertain myself with a handsome man."_

Flashback End

"For the next couple of months, we went on public dates. PDA was always involved. Her father was convinced I was a good man and signed the contract..."

He shivered slightly in his seat, not because of Naruto's unwavering heated glare, but because of the bitterness that was about to rise out of his throat; his confession.

"Somehow...I got carried away."

Naruto gripped the edge of the leather couch, his hands shaking.

Sasuke then only saw a blur of yellow and orange before his gut was forced all the way up to his throat. Or at least, that's what it felt like with Naruto's shaking fist tightly forced against his abdomen .

"You lied to my baby sister, took advantage of the fact that your marriage is being held in secret. I've never known such a selfish bastard. You think I didn't notice how stressed she's been for the past year?" Naruto's harsh whisper left a ringing in Sasuke's ear. "She never said anything. Not even now. I don't know if it's because she still has some sort of loyalty or respect for you, but I sure as hell don't. Not anymore."

He moved away slowly from his best friend's stiff form and made his way to the exit. "Until you sort your shit out, you are not allowed to have any contact with Sakura. I will split open your skull if I get word of you even attempting to do so."

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Sakura wasn't the brightest girl around when it comes to anything. The only (secret) reason she has been praised far and wide across the nation for her medical skills is the amount of effort she puts into everything. Down to making that perfectly green green tea with the close-to-perfect amount of organic honey in a spotless cup she scrubbed dry herself.

So why, oh why, did this have to happen? Many liked to idolize her as a decent-to-damn-near-perfect lover. Her efforts in trying to make Sasuke recognize the love and respect she had for him laid plainly out and obvious. Sakura took cooking classes in order to excel in that aspect all to please her significant other. She liked to keep the house nice and clean. Their bed sheets fresh and newly washed every other day.

She aimed to be the perfect wife. The perfect Uchiha wife. The woman who could live up to the prestigious clan's expectations. Because as a woman, she lacks a crucial thing.

She was reminded every single second she was with him. How disappointed, yet barely sensible through the surface, he really was.  
>He barely touched her anymore. Their once fiery nights of passion dimmed and turned bleak, almost forced even, just to grasp onto the love they promised each other. But it wasn't enough anymore.<p>

So she ignored the way his shirts and ties gave off the distinct smell of perfume. Or the red and pink marks that bled across his white button down shirts that she convinced herself were paint samples for the new hotel. She turned a blind eye to his excessive visits to the island for "business" matters. Because she loves him. Those events happened almost two months ago, and in those two months, she grew anxious. Her desperation to keep their marriage, keep him, was evident, yet only Naruto noticed right away. "What are you doing?" he asked. "What's wrong?" She never answered him because frankly, she had no idea what to do. And as for the wrong part, how could she explain to her husband's best friend, his brother-in-law, that she is assuming Sasuke of infidelity?

So she kept to herself. Hoping that whatever the situation was that it was a false alarm. A figment of her imagination. Until two weeks ago, when Sakura was taking his clothes out the dryer, did she notice the piece of paper. The one with the same retched shade of red that stained his white shirts. The one with the picture of a beautiful woman with the lightest shade of blond locks and clear eyes. She knew she could not compete.

The next day, Sakura received a phone call from an unknown number. Not one to speculate, she answered immediately.

"Hello. Uchiha Sakura speaking."

"You sound as sweet as you look." Sakura froze. Her eyes darted away from the paper she was analyzing to the door handle of the room. "My apologies for being so upfront, dear. I'm an...associate of your husbands." The long pause for the word was deafening, her voice gushed with mockery. "It seems as though I cannot reach him, so of course I had to find other ways. We still have unfinished business to attend to."

Sakura stayed eerily silent.

"Oh, and just a suggestion, I do hope you get his little wound checked out. You know, the one on his upper thigh. It looks like it's going to scar." That cut. The one he received after a bowling incident with Naruto. How did she know? "You will be hearing from me again very soon. Best wishes, Mrs. Uchiha."

So now here she was, taking refuge in her brother's basement with non-stop marathons of horror films, trying to scare her sadness away. The candy wrappers, beer bottles and Chinese take out boxes were piling up. Her only excuse to remove her person from the couch was for hygiene necessities and to bang at Naruto's door for having his music cranked up too high, with him countering how loud her T.V was.

Sakura made her way to the front door. She spent two hours willing herself to do something, anything, instead of "wasting her precious years of youth." (Naruto had the nerve to quote the green beast.) So now she's planning to waste it in a bar downtown. Out of sight, out of mind.

The air smelled of strong alcohol and nicotine. The bartender grunted, which Sakura took as "order?" She sniffed, "Bourbon. Leave the whole glass," she glanced at the empty seats surrounding her. Drinking at two in the afternoon on a Tuesday...Thursday? It's a weekday, she concluded. "Make that two."

"Gasp! You knew I was coming! Creepy."

Sakura caught a whiff of expensive cologne before she glanced over at the man to her left. She inwardly smiled. If this man was anything, he wasn't cheap. "No," she drawled. "I was just planning on getting shit faced." The man tsked her before poking her shoulder. "Without a responsible drinking buddy to get you home safely? How stupid of you, my dear girl."

She rolled her eyes blatantly. "You know, if you keep calling me that, people are gonna start to think we're together, sensei."

Kakashi winked (or blinked?) before chuckling. "I was under the impression that we already were," he responded in utter innocence. His expression then turned placid. "Don't you think you're taking this to the extreme, dear?" Her affectionate nick name fell short of the usual affection. Sakura responded with a loud gulp. "No. Extreme would be posting this to the public. Or burning our house down...with him tied securely in the bedroom."

The middle aged man could feel sweat building up on his hair line. He already experienced his ex-student's wrath first hand. But before he could retaliate, she tossed a small piece of paper directly beside his glass. "Found this. Think of it what you will. As for me?" The pinkette doused the last of the golden liquid down her throat before slamming the cup on the counter. "I need to clear my head."

"Pretty hard when you're drunk, eh?" Kakashi said as she motioned the bartender for another go.

"Everyone's a critique," she smirked snidely before resuming her drink.

He placed his attention to the note, his single eye giving away his disappointment and doubt after a few moments. "So what's your game plan?" Sakura blew air into her cheeks before letting out a loud sigh. Plan? What else is a woman supposed to do at a crises like this? Judging from the movies and cliches, a bucket of ice cream and a stack of rom coms were in order. But she's already been doing that.

"Give myself a pity party."

Kakashi returned her a weary look.

"_Then_ I'll figure this all out. I mean Jesus Christ, Kakashi. Give me a break. My husband is a worldwide business man. He's bound to meet all kinds of women. The clan I married into hates me because of my...disability, so they kept his marriage with me a secret. It's not surprising for Sasuke to find other ways to give his family their wishes. Wishes that I cannot grant."

"What can't you do? What do they want, Sakura?"

She let the silence ring loudly between them before shaking her head in refusal. "It's none of your concern." Her pleading look stopped any of his protests. Kakashi is one of her closest companions ever since a young age, but the information she was unwilling to give was just too embarrassing and shameful.

"Well, a little certainty wouldn't hurt at the moment. How can you be positive about Sasuke's...unfaithfulness?"

"Because I know him. He's been stringing this woman on, intentionally or not. He's unsure, sensei. He thought about the possibility of being with her, reveled in it, if he has not had her already," she downed her fifth glass. "This would've never happened if he hadn't cut her off immediately. And if he had, it'd been too late."

Kakashi gave her a hard, but proud stare. "And you say you're not smart."

Of course not. A smart woman would've done something about it months ago. But she was already pinned to the ground from the start. How was she supposed to stand up? Sakura smiled tiredly. "I'm only persistent." Her viridian eyes formed a far away gaze.

Kakashi, sensing her distress, grabbed the cup from her hand, gulping the rest of the contents. "Well, what's a party without some company? Hope you don't mind spending some time with an old geezer."

She laughed, waving a dismissing hand in the air. "With you? Never."

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He swore the drive to his past home got longer and longer. The roads stretched farther somehow and the number of turns doubled, although Sasuke already knew it was because of his limited interaction with his family. The manor was always quiet nowadays with the two brothers now gone and grown up. Sasuke honestly had not the slightest clue what his parents do now, except worry. The company was his now but no doubt is his father still watching his every move like a hawk. His mother would still be holding her book clubs (which only consisted of her, Kushina, and their head maid, Constantine.)

His parents' married life was quiet. Too quiet. At most times, it's as if they are strangers to each other now. Would he and Sakura turn to be like them? _If there is even time to,_ he thinks glumly.

The car swayed to the left abruptly, his thoughts jumbling with thoughts of his wife.

Sakura.

Is she okay? What was she doing now? Surely, he can still call her, no matter what her stupid brother says.

His grip on the wheel tightened. "Fucking hell."

As he swerved into the drive way, Sasuke sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening for whatever his parents wanted, it better not be about Sakura. God knows he could barely tell Naruto, how was he supposed to explain to his mother?

Sasuke always hated entering through the main entrance because of it's annoyingly grand door bell, so he paced his way slowly to the back yard, which takes quite some time judging by the enormity of the house. He noticed nothing has changed ever since he left on his eighteenth birthday. The side walk stones were still polished. The lawn freshly cut. His mother's tomato garden still in rows of fifteen, an image he was especially pleased at.

As expected, his arrival was greeted with an open door and the smell of his mother's finest cooking. Sasuke smiled as he stepped foot inside, not able to fight off the nostalgia. Although his childhood wasn't as eventful or playful as others, he had very good memories that still echoed through this mansion.

"Fashionably late. As always, little brother."

Sasuke inwardly groaned and grimaced. What the hell is _he_ doing here? "Itachi," he slipped into his monotone voice and glanced over at his taller sibling.

The older man looked about the same as he was five years ago. His hair still mid-back and tied loosely, but neatly. The obvious crease on his face that he got from their father (which Sasuke always inwardly laughed mockingly at) and the same femininely long lashes. He's bulkier, Sasuke noticed. Good, he thought, he was always too skinny for his own good. Itachi's stress was so bad that he even forgot to eat his meals almost everyday. The company was always the number one priority, an issue now passed down to Sasuke.

"How rude," Itachi smirked. "And here I was, all excited to see my new and improved, or so I hoped, brother and all he greets me with is a childish scowl."

Sasuke growled, but before he could respond an equally snide comment back, two dainty arms wrapped themselves around his waist from his back.

"Oh, you're finally here!"

All Sasuke could get out was a strained grunt from the force of his mother's grip.

"Mikoto, you're strangling the boy."

Said victim winced at the title.

_Am I not yet a man in your eyes?_

"Come to my office, Sasuke," Fugaku's tone is as stern as ever as Mikoto released him, backing away softly in understanding of how tense this situation is. "We need to talk."

Fleetingly, Sasuke caught Itachi's weary gaze directed towards him. His once glinting mischievous irises now clouded, as if recalling an unpleasant event. And there was something else too. Something Sasuke categorized as pity.

A little while later, the two arrived in Fugaku's office just at the end of the hall in the mansion's left wing.

"How are things with Inoichi?" Fugaku stated rather than asked.

His son narrowed his eyes. He had faced his father's undeniable wrath and bluntness towards business, so this staling was unsettling. The desk the older man sat behind seemed larger than Sasuke remembered. The chair he was currently sitting on was stiffer than last time. These little things reminded the young Uchiha how long he had really been missing from this place.

"I'd be surprised if you don't already know, outosan."

Fugaku did not reply and simply slid a manilla folder on the edge of the desk. Sasuke carefully plucked them from the wooden surface without hesitation and opened it quickly.

Inside laid pictures.

Of him.

And Ino.

The first time they met in the office. Their handshake when they made the deal. Numerous public outings. All of it.

After a long time, Sasuke looked up from the offending photos and back to Fugaku, his face contorted in rage and disbelief.

"You were spying on me."

"After all this time, you still don't trust me! You still want Itachi as the heir!"

Sasuke knew he should be guilty and embarrassed that he was caught doing such acts of adultery. But this was his father. The man who was notorious for gambling and cheating his way to the top. So why would such _petty_ matters like infidelity have any value to him?

"This isn't about you. This is about Sakura, and how the Uzumaki's will react toward your treacherous behavior," Fugaku stated evenly, not in the slightest fazed by his youngest son's outburst.

Sasuke gripped the arms of the chair to the near point of breaking. "You told me to do everything to ensure this company was safe. I did everything I could. Yet that still does not satisfy you."

The other man responded in distaste. "What does not satisfy me, my son, is your irresponsible actions. Did you not even think* about the consequences that comes with your affair? How it will eventually tarnish the company's name? _My_ name? Our relationship with our closest friends?"

The raging fire within Sasuke dwindled as every word was received. What had he done?

His silence was more than a deafening answer. Fugaku closed his eyes in disappointment. "You are dismissed."

Without a word, he stood, bowed and shut the door behind him. A small click of a tongue jostled Sasuke and he saw Itachi leaning against the wall opposite to the door of their father's office. "After all this time, you're still so foolish. Like a dog begging to please it's owner."

Sasuke made no attempt to deny so.

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